October Reads

I’ve decided to tell you what I’m reading because there are so many books out there and I want to tell you about the books I’ve had the pleasure in reading. In this month’s book list, I was trying to get into a spooky theme. So without further ado:

Different Seasons by Stephen King
King’s collection of stories start hopeful with Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption despite the brutal prison life at Shawshank State Penitentiary, Red makes a gentle narration of his tale and the contrast between guilty men and innocent Andy.
The next story is Apt Pupil. This creepy story of twisted and murderous characters crawls under the skin making you uncomfortable and at unease. The terrible scheming of Todd Bowden and Kurt Dussander makes a story that won’t leave you alone.
The Body features a narrator who is a writer playing on post modern ideas. The story of four boys trying to find a body and discovering and testing their own mortality. The story is fast and engaging but presents the tragedy of Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vem.
The breathing method is surreal and strange but is the perfect resolution to the book. The story of the mother with odds stacked against her and a Doctor who is telling the tale by fireside. The ending gives the reader catharsis and ends the whole book brilliantly.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare
This is my favourite Shakespeare play because the traditional tragedy arc is explored with key themes of fate, ambition and witchcraft. The bloody play features the supernatural heavily with witches, ghosts and gods. This play, whilst fitting with this month’s theme, is my favourite just to read over and over again to listen to the beautiful language and the dramatic imagery.

“All causes shall give way: I am in blood

Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”

The Curious Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
The famous story that explores human nature through the idea that man is made up of two parts. The crimes of Mr Hyde are described vividly and gruesomely, a contrast to other texts from this era. It’s a good book to read when curled up under blankets for an afternoon.